PENGUINS 5 – HURRICANES 3

The Atlantic Division title is the Penguins first division title in the Dan Bylsma era. With eight games remaining the Penguins are also in the drivers seat to claim the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, leading the Montreal Canadiens by five points. “It’s been a priority for us to look at being tops in the division for the seeding in the playoffs,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “To be able to do that with eight games left in the season, I think that’s a pretty big accomplishment for this team.”

The Penguins rallied in the third period and rookie Beau Bennett (3) provided the spark scoring a backhand goal at 9:49 of the third period to tie the game at 3-3 and Evgeni Malkin (7) scored 13 seconds later to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead.

Malkin who had a quiet first two periods, put home a Jarome Iginla rebound for his second game winning goal of the season.

Pascal Dupuis (19) added an empty net goal with 1.9 seconds left to seal the win. Robert Bortuzzo (2) and Brenden Morrow (7) scored first period goals in the win. Morrow’s scored a highlight reel goal with 6:11 left in the period for his first goal as a Penguin.

Marc Andre Fleury made 25 saves to move into a tie with Niklas Backstrom for the NHL lead in wins.

Post-Game Player Reports

Game 40 Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Penguins 5 @ Hurricanes

Centers

Jussi Jokinen played another all around solid game. He picked up a primary assist on Brenden Morrow’s beautiful first period goal with a slick backhand pass to Morrow at the Hurricanes blueline with his back to the play hitting Morrow with speed who turned Justin Faulk inside and out for the goal. Jokinen was 50% in the faceoff circle but 67% in offensive and defensive zone draws

Malkin netted the game winning goal at 10:02 of the first period, poking in a Jarome Iginla rebound to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead. The goal was Malkin’s 7th of the season and 2nd game winning goal. Malkin was invisible in the first two periods and horrid in the faceoff circle but turned his game up in the third period and the goal seem to jumpstart him as he was playing with a lot more intensity in the final period. |

Sutter did not have a strong game being on the ice for two goals against. On a 4 on 3 penalty kill, Sutter lost a defensive zone draw to Jordan Staal leading to Joe Corvo’s power play goal at 4:06 of the first period and then the Sutter line was out for Riley Nash’s third period goal

This was a win for the Penguins where they got contributions from all four lines. Craig Adams was a big factor on the 4th line tonight, collecting 2 hits, a primary assist on Beau Bennett’s game tying third period goal and picked up an assist on Robert Bortuzzo’s first period goal. The 2 assist game was Adams first multi-assist game in 173 games. Adams added a team-high 5 hits in the win.

Wingers

Jarome Iginla | 1 Assist, +1 rating, 3 SOG, 1 Hits, 15:44 TOI

Jarome Iginla has had some moments the past two games where it makes you wonder whether he fits the type of uptempo style the Penguins play and Iginla was having a really poor game in the first two periods. One reason for that is that he doesn’t have great acceleration and sometimes seems to be trailing the play. Iginla, though, like his linemate Evgeni Malkin picked up his game in the third period, collecting an assist on Malkin’s goal and got some scoring opportunities in the slot.

Beau Bennett| 1 Goal, even rating, 1 SOG, 4 Hits, 11:20 TOI

Bennett sparked the Penguins third period rally, getting open down the right side and putting a back hand shot on net that bounced off a defender and into the net for his 3rd goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3. Bennett overall had a solid game and doesn’t look out of place at the NHL level. Bennett was credited with 4 hits in the game.

Chris Kunitz | 0 Points, +3 rating, 1 SOG, 2 PIM, 1 Hit, 16:36 TOI

Kunitz was pointless in the game but was on the ice when things were happening, notching a plus-3 rating in the win. Kunitz plus-29 rating leads the NHL.

Dupuis the games No. 1 star, had a big night with a goal (empty net) and 2 assists. Dupuis continues to show he can be a factor on any line and made a great cross-ice pass setting up Robert Bortuzzo who drove to the far post for Bortuzzo’s first period goal and Dupuis added an assist on Brenden Morrow’s first period tally. Dupuis is closing in on the 20 goal mark with 19 goals and surpassed the 30 point mark tonight and has 31 points (19G-12A) on the season and a plus-24 rating.

Tyler Kennedy | 0 Points, -1 rating, 2 SOG, 1 Hit, 14:26 TOI

Bylsma will do anything to keep Kennedy involved and moved him up to the 3rd line with James Neal sidelined. Kennedy had a quiet night.

Tanner Glass | 0 Points, even rating, 1 SOG, 1 HIT, 7:58 TOI

Glass was originally credited with an assist on Beau Bennett’s third period goal but it was soon taken away and Glass remains pointless on the season.

Brenden Morrow | 1 Goal, +1 rating, 2 SOG, 3 Hits, 2 TK, 17:01 TOI

The past two games we’ve seen Morrow get to his game. Morrow has been a physical presence and he’s starting to make things happen offensively and Morrow is skating much better the past couple games. Morrow notched his first goal as a Penguin at 13:49 of the first period in what was a highlight reel goal.

Defensemen

Murray played the type of game the Penguins want out of him. Log close to 20 minutes, on the ice for NO goals against, registers 4 blocked shots and tied for a team-high 5 hits. A solid all around game.

Robert Bortuzzo| 1 Goal, even rating, 2 BS, 2 Hits, 13:50 TOI

Bortuzzo chipped in offensively, making a great read and getting behind Alexander Semin by driving to the far post and poking in a cross-ice Pascal Dupuis pass for his second goal of the season at 5:38 of the first period. Defensively it was an up and down night for Bortuzzo who was on the ice for two goals against and had poor coverage in front on Riley Nash’s third period goal.